Let's recognize great work

This is the kind of thing which I view as extremely corrosive and subverting. From W. E. B. Du Bois’ staggering Data Visualizations are as powerful today as they were in 1900 (Part 1) by Jason Forrest. It is an otherwise interesting article and the work it is recognizing is indeed superior work.

But they can't focus on the work, they have to subvert it by drawing attention to race.

One of the most powerful examples of data visualization was made 118 years ago by an all-black team led by W.E.B. Du Bois only 37 years after the end of Slavery in the United States.

Race and racism are an almost unavoidable sub-topic with Dubois but still. This work stands on its own merits. Why relegate it into the category of "Great Work by Blacks" when it can easily reside in the category of "Great Work"

Whenever some historian points out some historic excellence that was achieved by someone who was black and feels compelled to point out that this was so astonishing because they were black, it sounds to me inherently racist. They did excellent work and they happened to be black. As soon as you forefront their race, you diminish their achievement.

They seem to be channelling Samuel Johnson's narrow vision:

Sir, a woman's preaching is like a dog's walking on his hinder legs. It is not done well; but you are surprised to find it done at all.

Let's bring back old fashioned universal humanism and relegate virtue signaling racism to the dustbin of history.